A need has existed for some time for a training aid for competitive athletes by which the athlete learns to maintain proper arm position when running.
It has been found that in order for an athlete to maximize running speed, proper arm position is necessary. This is true whether the runner is a professional or merely an amateur athlete, and whether the distance to be run is short, in the case of a sprint, or long, in the case of a marathon.
In particular, it is advantageous for a runner to keep his arms and hands up away from the area in which his legs are moving. When the runner's legs are constantly moving up and down, positioning of the arms near the lower torso of the body, or near the legs, interferes with the full range of motion of the legs. Even if a runner's legs do not actually touch his arms, when the arms are carried low, the runner naturally raises his legs just short of his arms or hands in order to avoid contact, resulting in decreased speed.
In order for a runner to maximize the results of his effort, he must raise and lower his legs to a position in which the thigh is approximately perpendicular to his body. In order to prevent the upward movement of the legs from being cut short, runners are instructed to keep their arms out of the way of their legs.
Preferably, the forearm of the runner is bent at an angle of approximately 90 degrees with respect to the upper arm. In this position, the forearm is pointed outwardly at approximately a right angle with respect to the upper arm, and does not extend downwardly in a fashion which can cause interference with the full range of motion of the legs.
Unfortunately, up until this time, there has been no successful means for training an athlete to maintain this desired arm position when running. Most training methods simply involve a coach informing the runner that his or her arm positioning is incorrect, and instructing the runner to raise his forearm with respect to the upper arm to achieve the correct arm positioning.
There remains a need for a positive structural training aid for athletes which aids the athlete in learning the correct arm position while running.